Facing Fear
By Gennita Low

   CIA operations chief, Rick Harden's boss has been arrested for treason. Now Rick's under suspicion as well. Further complicating matters, Rick has a romantic interest for the first time since his wife Leah was killed. Her resemblance to Leah is spooky.

     More than spooky--Nikki really is Leah, back from the dead. Leah, a CIA operative, was on a mission that went sour. After she was captured, she was tortured and raped daily until her rescue.

    All memory gone, Leah was reborn as Nikki Taylor. She knew she had a husband, but she had no memory of him nor of the love which they had shared. She couldn't bear the thought of fulfilling her "wifely duties" with a stranger. She lets him continue to think that Leah is dead.

   Then one day she is offered a chance to find out who had compromised her mission. The only catch is that she must discover the truth behind the accusations against Rick. To do this she must interview him. He sets all sorts of bizarre rules that she must follow during the interviews. She must leave her long hair hanging loosely about her shoulders. She may not wear any undergarments. Desperate for answers, she agrees.

   This is a strange book. It's filled with incredibly steamy sex that left me cold. Rick seems like just one more guy using and abusing Nikki. The fact that she ultimately enjoys it doesn't mitigate the fact that she finds him terrifying.

     It's apparent that this is a continuation of a series. I frequently felt as if I had begun reading in the middle of the story. All was made clear eventually, though it took quite a bit of time. Muddling along, there would suddenly be a passage of such intense action that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. This series could be quite successful once the author masters the technique of filling in sufficient background so new readers are not confused. Even with all the confusion, the ending definitely left me anxious to read Ms. Low's next book.